Chapter 89

Oh no, my boyfriend can’t lie!

Gu Yi had never considered how significant the word “mother” was to Liang Daiwen.

Packing and tidying up, Gu Yi moved quickly as if she were fleeing. Liang Daiwen rubbed his eyes, “What’s going on?”

“My mom came to Shanghai.”

“Do you really need to be this nervous?”

“I have to go back to my place and create the illusion that I’m still living alone.”

“Is it that embarrassing, being with me?”

“That’s not it.” Gu Yi sighed, “She’s probably just passing through while Uncle Yun is on a business trip. I think she’ll leave soon. I can handle her alone, but if she finds out I’m staying at your place, she’ll want to observe you for a long time before leaving. I’m really busy with work, I don’t want her worrying about me.”

“I see, you’re cold towards your mom.”

Liang Daiwen went to shave, and Gu Yi leaned against the door, “Seems like you care?”

“It’s nothing. You think it’ll be simple enough to make her stop worrying and go home with this approach, but that’s your way.”

“I will introduce you to my mom, of course. It’s just…” Gu Yi exhaled, “Never mind, it doesn’t matter if you know. If my mom gets drunk and starts talking about how well I’m doing in Shanghai, living in a big house, it might reach my dad’s current wife, and she could come... blackmailing for money. My dad’s health isn’t good, and he’s often in the hospital, so we try to avoid him. My mom is often morally blackmailed. She’s a kind person, and every year, she sends money, but I haven’t received a penny of child support since I was seven. She still makes me answer my dad’s calls, but we don’t really have a relationship.”

Liang Daiwen paused shaving, saying nothing. After a while, he spoke, “Just pack a little clothing, right?”

“Of course, I’ll be back.”

At the station, Gu Yi’s mom scolded her from head to toe. Her mom had short hair, not a single strand of gray, wearing purple leopard-print pants and a cardigan, a little plump, clearly someone who had come from out of town. In contrast, Gu Yi’s all-black attire was too solemn, and her mom’s first reaction was to lift her fisherman hat: “Dressed like this, you’re coming to mourn for me?”

Just then, Liang Daiwen stepped up, standing straight and respectfully, “Hello, Auntie, I’m Liang Daiwen, Gu Yi’s… boyfriend.”

Her mom was a bit embarrassed, reaching up and patting Gu Yi on the back of the head, “Why didn’t you tell me someone was coming?”

“Mom! That hurts!”

Liang Daiwen, who rarely drove, had a tired expression, with faint scratches at the corners of his eyes from some “intense activities” last night. On the way, her mom couldn’t help but ask about this too-good-to-be-true boyfriend: working at Google, outstanding appearance, gentle and respectful. Her mom hesitated before laughing, “My daughter may not be good at everything, but her taste in men is pretty good. The first time I hit her during her teenage years was because she was dating the school heartthrob, and I locked her at home worried sick. But now, looking at it, her choice in men is way better than mine...”

When Liang Daiwen parked, her mom grabbed Gu Yi, “Tell me the truth, does he have some illness? How can such a good man fall for you? Did you put some spell on him?”

“What are you saying? A woman over the age of fifty, with rich experience and still capable of judgment, would immediately suspect her daughter’s luck in this situation,” Gu Yi sighed at her mom, “It’s time you accepted that I’m doing pretty well for myself.”

After bringing the suitcase to the sixth floor, Liang Daiwen didn’t even catch his breath. Her mom stood by the door: “You’re doing well, but living in a top-floor apartment like this is worse than where I, a retired factory worker, live.”

Liang Daiwen remained silent, but upon hearing this, he raised his eyebrows. As Guo Xingxin opened the door, he leaned in and whispered, “Now I understand why you do stand-up comedy. In life, all you get are roast-worthy lines, first it was your mom, now it’s me.”

Gu Yi rolled her eyes.

Upon entering the room and seeing Guan Xingxin with her long hair flowing, her mom was even more confused: “Now you’re working as a manager for celebrities?”

Gu Yi couldn’t take it anymore: “Doesn’t the fact that all my friends are so successful prove I’m doing well too? Do you really have so little faith in me?”

Guan Xingxin smiled and looked at the mother-daughter pair, a smile that seemed… a little envious.

After recovering her energy, Guan Xingxin had tidied the room so well, it had more of a homely atmosphere than when Gu Yi was there. The room had new daylight bulbs, patterned throws on the sofa, and even the coffee table had been replaced. She had made up a story for them, pretending to be roommates, and Gu Yi couldn’t help but admire this woman—how deeply she could hide things. Her every move still carried an undertone of sadness, but she was still working hard to play the role of a roommate, even hugging Gu Yi’s shoulder and saying, “It’s fine if Auntie wants to stay here, I’ll sleep on the floor.”

She was much more likable than Gu Yi.

Her mom’s suitcase was packed with things from home: square ham, vacuum-packed sausages, rice wine, wrapped-up chrysanthemums, and kimchi, as well as endless crinkly packaging paper—garbage food that Liang Daiwen hated. Her mom sniffed each item carefully, “Luckily, I woke up early and bought these before catching the train, you guys will be in for a treat.”

Opening the fridge, which was empty, her mom looked around more suspiciously: “You guys don’t eat at all?”

“We… mostly order takeout.” Gu Yi glanced at Guan Xingxin—didn’t she eat?

Looking around the room, her mom tilted her head, glancing at the cabinet, then at Gu Yi’s black outfit. She didn’t ask further, just chatted a bit before turning to interrogate Liang Daiwen, who was sitting on the floor while the sofa was given to the girl. His answers were serious, with no quick-wit or humor, “Yes, I work at Google, spent half a year in the U.S., met Gu Yi about two years ago, and she mostly stays at my place now…”

Gu Yi’s heart sank, realizing her mistake—Liang Daiwen couldn’t lie!

Upon hearing the straightforward answer, her mom stood up and gave Gu Yi a slap on the back, scolding her, “How could you? Learn to lie! What’s going on, you think I can’t handle it?”

Guan Xingxin pulled Gu Yi into her arms, “Auntie! We’re all really close, I promise she’s still coming back to live here! The rent is still paid by Little Rabbit, don’t be mad…”

On the sofa, they were tangled together, and Liang Daiwen’s sitting posture changed into a kneeling one: “Auntie, I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I wasn’t in a good state recently, and she went with me to accompany me. I really like her. Please don’t hit her, hit me instead.”

At this point, it could no longer be hidden. Her mother restrained her desire to raise her hand: “Come here, child. Tell me, how many things do you deserve to be beaten for?”

Liang Daiwen confessed everything about his emotional struggles to her mother, from never being able to form a proper relationship, to meeting Gu Yi, and then his time in America for half a year and his recent life. It only took ten minutes. His mother squinted her eyes as she sat on the sofa, and then simply sat on the floor, bending over and looking at Liang Daiwen’s face with sympathy, making Gu Yi feel confused. When the topic turned to his mother’s illness and passing, she reached out and gently stroked Liang Daiwen’s head: “Although I still don’t understand what illness it was, I know you’ve suffered a lot.”

These words stunned Liang Daiwen.

Guan Xingxin grabbed her bag: “Auntie, I’ll head out now. You all have a good talk.”

“It’s already dark.”

“I need to go find my boyfriend.” Guan Xingxin winked. Gu Yi silently wondered, Has she already found a new boyfriend so soon?

The wind was growing colder, and as soon as she stepped out of the building, Guan Xingxin wrapped her coat tighter. She thought of going upstairs to grab a scarf, but then decided against it. Even from the sixth floor, she seemed to hear Gu Yi’s mother’s hearty laughter, which made her call her own mother. On the other end, her mother was clearly watching the variety show she had been into lately, judging by the background music. Guan Xingxin frowned: “Stop watching it. Those men are unreliable.”

“Keep trying. Your dad found the Weibo of that finance guy, we’re still figuring out how to leave a message...”

“Mom!” This call couldn’t have come at a worse time. Guan Xingxin stood downstairs, shouting, “Is my value only in getting married to you?”

“Chen Mom is also worried. After all, you’ve been criticized online, and you won’t step forward, afraid of bringing trouble with bad news. Do you know how much we’re all worrying about you every day?”

“I have value beyond marriage. I’m working with some really talented people in a new industry. It might even lead to becoming a virtual idol like others in my field. I have fame. Do you understand this? And—” Guan Xingxin furrowed her brow, finally saying the long-brewing words: “Chen Mom needs to stop treating me like her daughter. Four million yuan worth of house as a dowry, so what? I don’t need it. From now on, I can make my own money.”

“Xinxin, are you crazy?” Her mother’s voice cracked, “If you keep acting like this, I’ll die. All my hopes are on you. You, who have never been able to see, your happiness is my only hope. If you continue to work aimlessly and do something unworthy, I’ll jump off the balcony.”

It was madness. Guan Xingxin trembled all over, walking out of the neighborhood. She had no friends, and Yu Dule had already broken up with her. For a while, she had nowhere to go. After that conversation with Lu Ming, he never contacted her again, and she had indeed left no friends in Shanghai. How strange—why is it that other people’s mothers bring food to visit their daughters, while when hers came to Shanghai, all they brought were demands?

She walked aimlessly down the street, surrounded by the lights of the night. Young people were drinking beer and laughing in front of stores, speaking a mix of Chinese and foreign languages, the air thick with the smell of alcohol, tobacco, and the last traces of autumn. She didn’t want to blend in with them, just like she didn’t want to admit she had no home.

The vibrating phone saved her, an unexpected name flashing on the screen, and she felt as if she had been granted a pardon: “Do you want hamburgers and fries?”

Gu Yi’s mother never cared about the time. Whenever she wanted to drink or have late-night snacks, she would set up a table, even at midnight. She skillfully used a shopping app to fill the fridge with groceries and, within an hour, made several hearty dishes. The sound of her flipping the wok made Gu Yi feel like there was never a family atmosphere in this house, but when the pots clanged with the exhaust fan buzzing, that was life. Late-night cooking with the kitchen window open, she wanted the whole building to hear her cooking sounds. Liang Daiwen was locked in the bedroom, still unable to resist opening the door slightly to watch, both curious and worried: “Do I need to go out and help?”

Gu Yi, lying on the sofa, kept talking, “No, she really hates anyone disturbing her rhythm in the kitchen.”

Liang Daiwen sat on the back of the sofa: “I think you have a communication disorder too.”

“I?”

“Yes. You don’t say anything kind to your mother.”

“Did you see how she hit me? That was without any weapons. She used to hit me with a feather duster, a mop handle, a pool cue, and a plastic ruler. I remember she couldn’t bear to let me get hurt, but the truth is, all the wounds were caused by her. They say a child without a mother is like a blade of grass, but with a mother, it’s the same. A blade of grass in the wind.”

Liang Daiwen was amused, a crooked smile forming on his face. His mother kicked open the door with a spoon in hand: “Looks like I made too much food.”

The table was full, like a feast at a Korean restaurant. His mother proudly washed her face and showed off her impressive alcohol-pouring skills. She stacked beer glasses in a row and stirred them with chopsticks, placing two chopsticks to prop up the shot glasses, and poured the soju into the beer. With a slap on the table, she declared, “Let’s eat.”

Gu Yi felt a headache coming on, while Liang Daiwen seriously drank a glass, then reached for a fried eggplant. After taking a bite, he paused, looking a bit lonely as he said, “My mom used to make this for me, but it’s not as good as yours.”

His mother’s expression grew sorrowful, and she put a piece of fish on top of his rice: “I didn’t know what you liked, so I just made a little bit of everything. But—”

“You little rascal, if you’re going to compare your mom with me, you have to say your own mom is better.”

Liang Daiwen smiled and ate his meal cleanly. His mother pointed at Gu Yi’s nose: “You brat, it won’t be so easy to take my daughter away. She’s stupid, but I’m not. Have a drink with me.”

After these words, Gu Yi knew that the soju and rice wine in the suitcase wouldn’t last the night. But Liang Daiwen seemed to take her words seriously, and the two of them drank one cup after another. Halfway through the meal, Gu Yi went out to take a phone call with Yu Dule about the program, and by the time he returned, Liang Daiwen was slumped, with his mother comforting him on the couch. His mother’s hands were rough, her fingers thick from working around machinery, with calluses and scars, and her skin was coarse from the northern wind and sand. But Liang Daiwen didn’t shy away from her touch, silently listening to her drunken promises—words like “Mom loves you,” “Good times are ahead,” and “Don’t be sad, you still have Auntie.” These were the kind of empty words Gu Yi never paid attention to, but Liang Daiwen listened earnestly, with a gentle, obedient expression, occasionally glancing at his mother, as though he was a rebellious teenager, too afraid to speak up yet fervently craving a little love.

Since he began to experience emotions, he’s been the kind of person who takes everything seriously, even mourning the death of a senior for a long time. Now, as he watches someone else’s mother, he quietly sheds a tear. Gu Yi never imagined that the word “mother” would carry so much longing for Liang Daiwen.

Unexpectedly, when he opened another layer in the box, there was alcohol. Unable to stop drinking, Gu Yi could only close the doors and windows—if he kept laughing, the neighbors might call the police. Drunk and barely conscious, with his mother lying across the bed, Gu Yi dragged Liang Daiwen to the sofa. Liang Daiwen, unusually talkative, grabbed Gu Yi’s hand and said, “Your mom is really cute.”

“Anyone who can drink is her friend.”

“The two meals I remember most in my years in Shanghai—one was when you took me to a Korean restaurant, and the other was today. We’re not relatives, but it felt like a familiar taste.”

“This is the first time I’ve seen you so drunk. It’s a bit cute.”

“Actually, when you said your mom was coming, I was a bit nervous. I couldn’t feel love, but you’re still my girlfriend. It’s not a cause-and-effect relationship, but a turning point. But Auntie... she’s better than I imagined. She probably won’t let us get married, but I can tell she sees me as a normal person, and I’m grateful for that.”

“Because there are a lot of people in this world who have feelings but no compassion.”

His hand hung limply on the carpet, his finger lightly touching Gu Yi’s finger on the carpet. He hooked her pinky, like a pact: “Meeting innocent and passionate people made me understand the joy of being alive. Thank you.”

After that, he fell asleep. Outside the window, a light rain fell, and through the dim light, the night sky seemed to be filled with hazy dust. Gu Yi leaned against the window, with the sleeping man behind her. The small space was warm with the smell of alcohol.

Guan Xingxin was also looking out at the rain, now staying in a hotel with Huang Wendai. Outside the window was an endless stretch of neon lights, with the elevated highways extending far away. Guan Xingxin exhaled and said to Huang Wendai, “See? It’s all an illusion.”

Huang Wendai looked at her like she was crazy. On the desk were unfinished fries and hamburgers. Huang Wendai, a greedy company boss, had ordered a family-sized meal, filling the table with food and free toy sets, including a Doraemon drum, which was lying crookedly on the table with some oil stains on its plastic shell. Guan Xingxin found it cute, fiddling with it while eating.

He hadn’t done childish things like this in a long time.

The two talked about work. With more and more influencers and MCNs, the industry was growing tired of fake data and demanding influencers, and began exploring new fields. Guan Xingxin, introduced by Huang Wendai, visited a company developing virtual idols, looking for prototypes, and hoping to create an idol who could sell products like an influencer. After taking some photos and trying on motion-capture suits again, Guan Xingxin, familiar with the process, shared many ideas about virtual idol live streams, giving the founding team new ideas. Even though she wanted a new job, Guan Xingxin still honestly said that her image was too traditional and retro to be used as an influencer idol. If she really wanted to create an AI idol, it should be one with short hair, upturned eyes, a short face—modern, dressed in P2K clothing with futuristic elements, sure to be popular. After saying this, she didn’t realize that her honest and accurate predictions had reached Huang Wendai’s ears. Huang Wendai said, “You’re not as defeated as you think, you’re just tied up. You’ve been bound by love and haven’t had a big enough stage to show your worth. You’re better than you realize.”

After that, the atmosphere became somewhat strange. Guan Xingxin looked at the time and said, “I’m tired.”

“Oh, now the lonely woman is trying to drive me away, got it.”

“But you came to find me.”

“You’re clearly jealous that Gu Yi’s mom came. Is it really that hard to admit you’re afraid of loneliness? You have four parents, and there are always two men around you. Don’t pretend it’s a burden; you just can’t be alone.”

“You’ve figured me out.”

“There’s more.”

“Like what?”

“Even if you don’t want to get married, you have to admit that your two sets of pathological parents will eat you alive. One pair is overprotective because of your blindness, sticking to the idea that marriage will give them peace of mind; the other pair treats you as a replacement for their dead daughter, throwing money and effort into everything. Sorry to say, they’re all freaks.”

Guan Xingxin exhaled a laugh but said nothing.

“Marriage isn’t bad for you. Find the right person, and at least you’ll have temporary security. Then you can do what you want, maybe even feel freer.”

“But then they’ll start pressuring me to have kids. Parents’ love is always demanding.”

“Not necessarily. If your husband has enough status and power, they won’t have anything to say.”

“Where am I going to find such a person? Besides, I’m tired of these goal-oriented behaviors. Find a man, then say, ‘Hey, how about marrying me temporarily to deal with my freaky parents, not two, but four—I’m not a woman, I’m a plague.’“

“Not necessarily, there’s always someone willing.” Huang Wendai lit a cigarette, “Marry me then.”